History of Christmas Eve in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: December 24, 2024

Christmas Eve is the day or evening preceding Christmas Day, the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. Observed globally, Christmas Eve is often a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Both days hold immense cultural significance within Christendom and Western society, representing a pivotal period in the Christian calendar and Western traditions.

December 1914: Christmas Truce of World War I

On December 24, 1914, during World War I, an unofficial Christmas truce occurred between British and German troops. Soldiers exchanged greetings, gifts, and held joint burial services. The truce continued into 1915 despite disapproval from higher command.

1946: "Chinese and a Movie" Tradition Emerges

Around 1946, a new Christmas Eve tradition emerged, often involving dinner at a Chinese restaurant and watching a movie, sometimes the 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life."

December 1968: Apollo 8 Genesis Reading

On December 24, 1968, the Apollo 8 astronauts read from the Book of Genesis while orbiting the Moon, in what was the most-watched television broadcast at the time.

1969: Commemorative Apollo 8 Stamp

In 1969, the US Postal Service released a stamp featuring the Earthrise photograph taken by Apollo 8 on Christmas Eve 1968 and the words "In the beginning God...".